Help! No, really. I’m turning 40.

I have enough miles for a free trip on Delta, possibly even first class depending on the destination, and I’ve been saving my vacation time. I’ll have five weeks available by the time my birthday rolls around.

And it’s a big one: 40.

The problem? I don’t know where to go.

I’ve realized that my last three big trips were really someone else’s idea. Ireland? Mom. France? Cass. Scotland? Emily. (Ok, so there was a little Estonia, Finland, more France, Switzerland and Germany thrown in there that I was largely responsible for, but we’re going to gloss over that fact.)

I pulled out a map the other night, and Cass and I went over the options. There are a few no-gos, for reasons neither here nor there: we have a trip planned next year, I’ve already been there, I don’t really want to go. But I’m going to leave those off of the table for now.